Dear Editor,

The hypocrisy of Senator Mitch McConnell has reached new heights. Last year, McConnell corrupted the advise and consent function of the Senate by denying President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, from having a hearing and vote.

Now, McConnell is further corrupting advise and consent by insisting confirmation hearings go on in spite of the fact that vetting of the majority of cabinet nominees has not been completed.

In fact as of this date, Rex Tillerson, the Secretary of State nominee, was the only nominee to fully complete the vetting by the Office of Government Ethics.

In 2009, McConnell (the Minority Leader) sent a letter to the Senator Reid (the Majority Leader) insisting that no confirmation hearings should take place before thorough vetting of nominees. McConnell listed several steps to be completed before the hearings, the top three are listed here: 

1. The FBI background check is complete and submitted to the committee in time for review and prior to a hearing.

2. The Office of Government Ethics letter is complete and submitted to the committee in time for review and prior to a committee hearing.

3. Financial disclosure statements (and tax returns for applicable committees) are complete and submitted to committee for review prior to a hearing.

All 2009 nominees completed the vetting process before any hearings were held.

In 2017, McConnell has told the Democrats to “grow up” and allow the process to proceed even though the vetting process on several of the nominees has not been completed. For eight years, McConnell has put party and power above country and he continues to do so by pushing confirmation hearings before all information has been provided by the nominees so the Senate and the public can understand potential conflicts of interest.  

Call Sen. McConnell’s office in Washington at (202) 224-2541 or Lexington at (859) 224-8286 and demand full disclosure from all nominees prior to hearings (already too late) and Senate votes.  Demand McConnell finally put country above party and power.  

Julie Pease

Danville